UN Special Rapporteur Addresses Sports Bodies' Response to Conflict
(MENAFN) When the Russia-Ukraine war erupted in 2022, international sports and cultural organizations responded swiftly. FIFA and UEFA took immediate action by banning Russian teams from competing in their events.
Meanwhile, the Eurovision Song Contest made the decision to expel Russia altogether. At that moment, officials indicated that these moves were made in accordance with a shared commitment to uphold universal values.
However, two years later, the situation appears more complex. As a UN committee reports that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, these same organizations are now proceeding with caution.
Votes to suspend Israel from both FIFA and Eurovision have been postponed, with the official reason being the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
This hesitation comes at a time when a ceasefire plan is being explored.
Alexandra Xanthaki, the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights, views this sudden reluctance as a concerning inconsistency. In her remarks to a news agency, she argued, "We cannot continue business as usual and sports cannot pretend that they don't have to take a position. When we talk about the genocide in Gaza, we do not refer to geopolitics. We refer to one of the very few values we have all agreed as humanity to respect."
Her stance contrasts with that of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who recently stated that "FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems."
Instead, he emphasized that the organization’s role is centered on "promoting football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values."
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